Funding is considered one of the barriers for entrepreneurs in the MENA region. However, the rise of regional venture capitalists is slowly changing that.
Financial hurdles are no longer a major barrier for entrepreneurs looking for investment in the region, as funds are being provided for the growing local startup scene.
Here are 8 venture capitalists every entrepreneur in MENA should look out for:
1. BECO Capital
Beco Capital provides growth capital and hands-on operation support for early stage technology companies in the MENA region with a special focus on the GCC. The aim of BECO Capital is to provide talented entrepreneurs with capital and mentorship in order to accelerate growth, create jobs and foster success.
A venture capital firm that invests in people turning visionary ideas into market-leading companies across the MENA region.
Based out of Kuwait and Dubai, Arzan Venture Capital supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with a core focus on technology. Arzan VC does more than just funding, providing mentorship programs and allowing startups to plan for sustainable growth.
Focusing on technology investments in the Arab world, Wamda Capital is the leading venture capital firm building the region's most promising high growth tech businesses. Wamda Capital invests in both growth and seed stage startups with an aim of taking portfolio companies through successive rounds of financing with an ultimate aim of exiting.
MEVP is a Middle East-focused venture capital firm that invests in the region with a focus on the GCC and Levant markets.
Investing in early and growth stage startups, MEVP has offices in Beirut, Dubai and Silicon Valley. It is considered to be the largest and most established VC firm in the region.
A growth stage VC firm in the MENA region, based out of Beirut and Dubai, Leap Ventures looks to invest in innovation and technology startups that have reached the series B stage. This means they have established a market presence and are seeking to dramatically accelerate their global market penetration.
An early stage venture capital firm based in Amman, Jordan. Dash Ventures focuses primarily on seed and early stage opportunities across the Arab world.
DASH is committed to investing in sectors that will have a sustainable impact on the region’s environment and socio-economic development.
An early stage venture capital firm based in Dubai, Iliad Partners works with talented founders and innovative startups across the MENA region to build successful high-growth ventures. It invests in technology and digital ventures, typically raising Late Seed and Series A funding. Iliad focuses on UAE, GCC and Levant and in sectors including internet services, marketplaces, digital media, e-commerce, mobile, SaaS and analytics, and enabling technologies in the B2C and B2B segments. As former entrepreneurs with a global perspective, the Iliad team provides hands-on operational and business development support, and access to the Iliad regional and global network.